RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

What sets childrens' ministries apart, the ministries where volunteers love to serve and kids and families' lives are being changed, is PASSION.

Do you want your ministry to be full of passion?  Here's how to build passion in your ministry.

Have something worth being passionate about. 
Let me re-word that. You already have something worth being passionate about...the Gospel.  There is no greater cause.

The key is constantly helping people make the connection between their serving role and the greater purpose.  Pointing people to the purpose will ignite passion.  

Remember passion is caught more than it is taught.  The passion level of your ministry is a mirror of your passion as a leader.  Show your passion...to the point where at times you get very emotional about it.  When was the last time your volunteers saw tears running down your face as you shared your heart for the mission?  When was the last time your earnest prayers echoed through the hallways of your ministry?  When was the last time you fasted for the families of your community?  If you want to raise the passion level of your ministry, then start with yourself.

Surround yourself with passionate people.  When you are passionate, you will attract passionate people.  Surround yourself with them.  There will always be people who feel their calling in life is to throw cold water on the fire.  Be kind to them...but don't let them get close.  If you do, they will douse the flames.  Bring people in close whose passion will encourage and inspire you.  

Fan the flames.  The natural tendency of passion is to wane.  Keep the passion burning by revisiting the purpose often.  Celebrate the passion.  Share stories of the passion.  Honor those who show passion.  

Never be satisfied.  The opposite of passion is complacency.  Keep your passion by staying in growth mode.  Always be reading, stretching, asking questions and seeking God for more. 

When you have passion, you won't have to tell people.  Passion is very evident.  People know it when they see it.

Do people respect you as a leader?  If you're counting on a title to bring you respect, you will be sadly disappointed.  While a title may bring you a little respect, it is the lowest form of respect.

You see, respect is earned.  It's not about a title.  When people respect you only because of the authority of your title, they will give you minimum effort.

So how do you earn respect?  Here's some tested and proven ways to earn the respect of those you have been asked to lead and influence.

Be passionate about the mission of the ministry.  People are drawn to passionate people.  Be a thermostat instead of a thermometer.  Set the tone for the ministry through a passionate commitment to the mission.  And not only talk the mission...live it out.  If you talk about inviting new people to join the team, be the first one out there asking people to join.  Passion is lighting up the ministry mission through your actions.

Be relational.  When people know you care about them, they will respect you.  True respect is earned up close and personal...not from a distance. 

Be honest about what you don't know.  That may sound counter-productive, but it's not.  When you are open about what you don't know and ask people to help you in those areas, they will respect you.  You don't have to know it all to gain respect...you simply have to know when to ask for help.

Be a team player.  Collaborators earn respect.  Plain and simple. 

Be quick to give credit to others.  How does a great coach gain respect?  By helping his players develop and shine.  You will gain respect not by putting yourself in the spotlight, but by putting others in the spotlight.  Your respect will be earned by helping others succeed. 

Your turn.  What are some other ways to gain respect as a leader?  Share with us in the comment section below.

There's one word that will make you a better children's ministry leader...and the word is probably not what you think.

The word is...NO.

One of the secrets of great leaders is they have learned to say "no" to most things.  Listen to what Steve Jobs said.

"People think focus means saying yes to the things you've got to focus on.  But that's not what it means at all.  It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.  You have to pick carefully.  I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done.  Innovation is saying no to a 1,000 things."

Saying "no" has just as much, if not more power than saying "yes."  Why?  Saying "no" allows you to say "yes" to what is most important.  But saying "yes" can keep you from what is most important.

Saying no allows you to do what only you can do.

Saying no allows you to be productive instead of just busy.

Saying no allows you to avoid doing what doesn't line up with you ministry's mission.

Saying no allows you to spend your time with the people that you should be spending your time with.

Saying no allows you to focus on your strengths.

Saying no allows you to do a few things with excellence instead of doing a lot of things with mediocrity.

Saying no helps you keep your personal and family life in balance.

Saying no means avoiding something good so something great can happen.

How do you determine what to say no to?

In this post, I share steps that will help you know what to say "no" to and what to say "yes" to.

Want to help your volunteers get off to a good start?  Make sure they know these 5 things.

The mission. 
Go beyond "what" they will be doing and explain "why" they will be doing it.  Volunteers want to be part of something bigger than themselves.  Explain the mission of the ministry and they will put their heart into their role.

The basic essentials.
What time to be there.  What to do when they can't be there.  Safety and security guidelines.  Attire.  etc.

Who they report to.
The person who will be investing in them and helping them grow in their role.

What they will be doing.
A job description for their role.

What the wins are for the role.
What does success look like?  How do they know they are doing a good job?

Your turn.  What else do new volunteers need to know?  Share with us in the comment section below.